We need a decent higher education system. Not all of it needs to be done at a University. Not all of it needs to be degrees. Lay the blame at the feet of Ken Clarke, the education minister that allowed those institutions to upgrade themselves into Universities, without really improving in the process.
When I arrived at what was once Liverpool Polytechnic, now named Liverpool John Moores University ( just “John Moores” to us students ) the HND was already a devalued currency, perceived to be the thing that the thick kids did. I was on the degree course, so don’t know what sort of quality the HND was.
There were a couple of difficult moments, but in general, getting a first was a piece of piss, for a few reasons.
First, our fresher year was almost a complete waste of time for anyone with prior experience of computing. It was essentially a foundation course, teaching “this is a computer”, woven into a degree.
Mostly though, I was super-prepared after doing a National Diploma at the Tech College, which I consider my true academic foundation. Computing nearly all the time, nearly all of it relevant. In three years, I did thirty different modules at this spanking new University. Only two of them have been professionally useful, and I was treading water for an entire year. It was a lucky sandwich student placement that saved it.
Going by that personal experience, can’t help thinking that it would have been much better if I’d been on a single course from 16 to 20, aimed at getting me a degree equivalent professional qualification, honing my skills in one direction, relevant to the folk who’d employ me. If such a system were instituted and delivered better outcomes to industry, that’d be a step forward in legitimising vocational courses and challenge the all-pervasive “you must have a degree” mantra that most employers seem to take.